Temperature effects on the binding efficiency of starch pastes

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Starch pastes are widely used as binders in pharmaceutical granulation.
• Understanding the influence of processing parameters on starch properties is crucial for optimizing drug formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of pasting temperature on the binding efficiency of yam and cassava starch pastes.
• To evaluate the impact of pasting temperature on granule and tablet properties.

Main Methods:

• Starch pastes (yam and cassava) were prepared at varying temperatures.
• Lactose powder was granulated using these starch pastes.
• Granule size distribution, fines content, tablet crushing strength, friability, and disintegration time were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Increasing pasting temperature initially increased average granule size and decreased fines, but further increases led to smaller granules and more fines.
• Yam starch pastes produced granules with lower fines and larger size, resulting in tablets with higher crushing strength and reduced friability.
• Tablet disintegration time increased with pasting temperature for both starches, but crushing strength showed no direct correlation with pasting temperature.

Conclusions:

• Pasting temperature significantly affects the binding efficiency and performance of yam and cassava starch pastes in granulation.
• Yam starch demonstrates superior binding properties compared to cassava starch under investigated conditions.
• Changes in amylose/amylopectin release, chain length, and free molecular components with temperature are key factors influencing binding efficiency.